By DAVE SCHULTZ
The Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District’s board Monday night agreed to send a resolution to the Wells County auditor’s office concerning the impact of a school safety resolution on property tax rates.
The proposed additional rate is 0.075. Ice Miller, the school district’s bond counsel, said that was the amount “to provide financial solvency,” Yates said in remarks prepared for the board meeting.
The board members — Angie Sheets, Trent White, Bruce Holland, Mike Murray, and Julie Thompson — followed Yates’ recommendation, authorizing him to send the proposed tax rate to the office of county auditor Lisa McCormick.
The district is making preparatory steps toward putting the referendum on the November ballot this year. Yates said after the meeting that the deadline is Aug 1 to have the resolution ready to go if it is to appear on the November ballot.
The school board members have not taken a final up-or-down vote on the referendum.
The referendum would allow the district to have a school resource officer in each of its three schools and also add a mental health professional to the staff.
If the referendum is approved at the suggested rate, the district could gain $400,000 a year for the school safety plan.
Also on Monday night, the district was recognized for its support of Riley Hospital for Children. Susan Miles from Riley was present at the board meeting and said that the district’s students “are leading with servant’s hearts.”
Miles noted that the two schools in the district that have raised funds this year, Bluffton High School and Bluffton-Harrison Middle School, have gone above the hospital’s goal of $1 per student. That’s something that Bluffton High School has done since the start of the current Riley fundraising structure in 2007, Miles said.
Bluffton-Harrison Elementary School has yet to hold a Riley fundraiser.
In other business Monday:
• Schlaura Linderwell, principal of the elementary school, discussed a Preschool Farm Experience Classroom program. Construction is planned for this summer and the program could begin next school year.
• Julie Meitzler, the district’s assistant superintendent, said that the schools have completed iLearn testing. She also noted the district will be working with the Bluffton Parks Department for a weekday food program this summer.
• School districts will not collect fees for curriculum items next year as the Indiana General Assembly is funding those items. Yates said the district expects to receive approximately $150 per student. Families had been billed $140 for grades K-4 and $185 for grades 5-12.
• The board approved Yates’ recommendation to go with a bid from Brooks Construction for resurfacing the school’s tennis courts and some parking areas. The cost will be $996,662. The work will not be completed until after the school year starts meaning the BHS boys’ tennis team will have to play mostly away games and practice at community facilities next season.
daves@news-banner.com
